Hey Folks,

I’m back with another edition of Life Ingredients, the newsletter where we nourish the body and mind with exercise, healthy food, and positive thoughts. I write this newsletter because I want you to look after every aspect of your physical and mental health and create a life you love.

We’re going to kick things off as we always do, with a good hard workout.

Now let’s get to work!

“Never skip leg day” is a mantra that gained traction in the fitness world thanks to the glut of young men who obsessively train chest, back, arms, and shoulders to the exclusion of quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.

Why would anyone who hits the gym regularly skip half the body? Well, one reason is because they can often get away with it if they just wear long pants all the time. Another reason: it’s just plain easier to train the upper body. Multiple sets of squats and lunges require a focused commitment; they jack up the heart rate in a way that curls and press-downs don’t. And when your legs are sore for a couple of days after a particularly hard training session, it makes life a lot harder; getting up and down out of a chair becomes a chore, where as sore arms, well, you’ll barely notice those in the course of a regular day.

Back to the “never skip leg day” mantra: everyone should heed this advice. Strong, healthy legs form the foundation of a strong, healthy body. Because no part of your body is truly isolated from the rest, strong legs lead to better posture, making for a healthier neck and spine. Another major bonus: When you build muscle mass in your legs, those muscles become calorie-burning factories, increasing your metabolism and making it easier to get and stay lean.

As for that soreness you’re so worried about? The more you train legs, the less debilitating that soreness becomes, until eventually, it’s very minor and brief.

My trainer Steve Wrona is going to take it from here with a killer kettlebell leg workout that leaves no muscle fiber in your lower hemisphere untouched.

WARM UP

Elephant Walk – 30-60 seconds

Alternating Reverse Lunge & Reach – 30-60 seconds

Shin Box Rotations – 30-60 seconds

WORK OUT

Exercise Pair #1 – 3 Rounds

Kettlebell Swing x 20, rest 30 seconds

Kettlebell Lateral Squats x 6 each, rest 30 seconds

Exercise Pair #2 – 3 Rounds

Kettlebell Front Squats x 10, no rest

Alternating Kettlebell Reverse Lunges x 6 each, rest 60-90 seconds

Exercise Pair #3 – 3 Rounds

Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift x 8 each leg, rest 30 seconds

Kettlebell Pulse Squats x 30 seconds, rest 60 seconds

Finisher – 3 Rounds

Kettlebell Single Leg Calf Raises x up to 20 reps each

Chefs are always in search of the perfect bite. For me, the perfect bite is one that is perfectly balanced, satisfying taste buds on every part of the tongue. It’s never overpowering or too sweet or too salty. It’s always just right and makes you excited for the next bite.

This recipe for blackened grouper fish is one that I would slot into the perfect bite category. The fish itself is mild and sweet, a flavor profile balanced by the spicy, smokey, savoriness of the blackened seasoning. All this in a dish that’s also perfectly healthy. What else could you ask for?
BLACKENED GROUPER

SERVES 4 – Cut or double recipe.

YOU’LL NEED

FOR THE TOMATO & OKRA SUCCOTASH

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 red onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
12 oz grape tomatoes, halved
2 cups okra, sliced into rings
1 cup pickled okra, sliced into rings
1 cup frozen corn, off the cob
½ cup lima beans
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 tbsp sweet chili sauce
1 tsp red wine vinegar
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
1 tsp Cajun Spice
Salt and pepper, to taste

FOR THE FISH
4 portions of Atlantic grouper, filet and pin boned (6 oz each)
4 tbsp blackened seasoning
3 tbsp grapeseed oil
3 tbsp Saltine crackers, crushed
2 tbsp Panko breadcrumbs
3 tbsp butter
4 oz arugula
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
MAKE IT

SUCCOTASH
1) In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add extra virgin olive oil, onions, and garlic. Allow to sweat.
2) Add tomatoes, okra, pickled okra, corn, lima beans, and red bell pepper. Continue to cook for approximately 3 minutes.
3) Add sweet chili sauce, red wine vinegar, cilantro, and Cajun spice.
4) Season with salt and pepper.

FISH
1) Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2) In a pan add butter and allow to melt.
3) In a mixing bowl add crackers and panko bread-crumbs.
4) Incorporate butter into the bread-crumb mixture.
5) Season grouper with blackened seasoning.
6) In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add grape seed oil and seasoned grouper. Cook for 3 minutes on each side.
7) Remove fish from pan and place on a baking sheet. Top the fish with breadcrumb mixture and place in the oven
MAKE IT CONTINUED…  

8) Cook the fish for 6 minutes in the oven or until the fish is cooked through.

PLATING
1) Place the succotash on a plate. Put the fish on top of the succotash.
2) Top the fish with arugula, lemon zest, and juice

“The only Zen you find on tops of mountains is the Zen you bring there.” – Robert Pirsig

Robert Pirsig was a writer and philosopher, who, in addition to having the perfect name (Robert means “shining with glory” by the way) had it right when he posited the notion that there is no higher level of consciousness to be gained in the peace of the mountains; if we want that state of mind, we must create it within ourselves.

I can think of no sadder fate than the one that befalls a man who constantly tricks himself into thinking that happiness, fulfillment, and meaning are always just around the corner.

Have you ever said any of these to yourself?

If not one of the above, then you’ve very likely said some variation. What they all have in common is a defeatist attitude that makes the claim that peace of mind is not achievable until… BLANK.

Nothing could be worse for your mental health than to live life this way, which is a perpetual state of anxiety.

But Robert, you’re likely to protest, I have major problems. How do you expect me to relax?

I’m not advocating that you ignore the work you need to do to improve your life. I am merely reminding you that the chance of you being born was astronomically slim, and the fact that you’re sitting there, reading this, and breathing the clean air, is a lottery win for the ages and ought to be honored as such.

No one on this planet is perfect. We all have problems. The chance to work on those problems is a sacred chance. Remember that, and don’t resent this part of the journey just because it’s difficult. Find a way to smile and embrace it. Once you’re able to do that, your victories are going to taste that much sweeter.

Until next time, remember the words I live by:

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.